Following is the text of the dedicatory prayer of the Rome Italy Temple offered by President Russell M. Nelson on Sunday, March 10, 2019.
O God, our Eternal Father, Thou great Elohim, we come before Thee on this sacred occasion in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to dedicate the Rome Italy Temple.
We thank Thee for Thy Son, Jesus Christ, who assures us of immortality and invites us to repent and have enduring joy here and hereafter. We are grateful to Thee for providing us with Thy great plan of happiness, that enables us to return to live with Thee.
We thank Thee for the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ through Thy Prophet Joseph Smith. We are thankful that keys of the priesthood have been restored that enable sacred ordinances to be performed on earth for the benefit of Thy children on both sides of the veil.
In this ancient and great city that has stood since biblical times — in this historic nation of Italy — we acknowledge the ministry of two of Thy Son’s early Apostles, Peter and Paul, who once blessed this land with their labors. May the influence of their abiding testimony of Jesus Christ continue to be felt among the vital values of this great country. We express gratitude for the feelings of faith in and service to Jesus Christ that have long established this area as a bastion of Christianity.
We thank Thee that Thou hast called Apostles in these latter days to bear special witness of the name of Jesus Christ throughout the world. We pray for Thy blessings to be upon them as they teach and testify of Thy Son and His gospel. We are grateful that all living Apostles are participating in these dedicatory services.
We are thankful for the early missionaries of this dispensation who dedicated this part of Thy vineyard for the preaching of the restored gospel. We give thanks for those who have labored here ever since. May Thy work continue to flourish and righteousness prevail in this important part of the world.
We are grateful for the support of church, government, and civic leaders who have offered much-appreciated goodwill in our desire to build this holy temple here in Rome. Wilt Thou bless them for their kindness and fortify their continued desire to preserve religious liberty for all.
Bless Thy children that they may be imbued with an earnest desire to learn of Thee. Help them to be receptive to the promptings of Thy Holy Spirit, seek the path of righteousness, and choose to be blessed by obedience to Thy commandments.
We pray for members of Thy Church who reside within this temple district. Please bless them and their families with faith in and devotion to Thy Son. Bless the youth that they may be valiant in their testimonies of Jesus Christ. Bless the parents that they will be exemplary and committed covenant keepers who strive to follow Thy Son and become more like Him.
The Christus is illuminated in the Rome Italy Temple Visitors' center with a reflection of the temple in Rome, Italy, on Friday, March 8, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
The Rome Italy Temple is pictured at sunset on Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Photo by Ravell Call, Deseret News.
May all Latter-day Saints in this area — young and old — be drawn frequently to this holy temple. Bless them to feel Thy Spirit as they participate in the great redemptive work performed here. May they be infused with the spirit of the gathering of Israel. May they receive and perform sacred ordinances here with a commitment to stay on the covenant path that leads to eternal life with their families.
Now, Beloved Father, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, and by the authority of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood, we hereby dedicate unto Thee and unto Thy Son the Rome Italy Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We dedicate this beautiful temple — from its footings to its spires — to be a house of the Lord, raised up unto Thy Son for His holy redemptive work. We dedicate each room for Thy sacred use. We dedicate the furnishings, fixtures, and supporting systems for their specific purposes.
We dedicate each of the ancillary buildings. We dedicate the adjacent landscaping and grounds, that they may be attractive and kept safe from harm. As we dedicate the beautiful visitors’ center, we are mindful that Jesus Christ and His early Apostles are magnificently memorialized there in marble sculpture. May Thy blessings be upon all who visit the center, that they may desire to come closer to Thy Son, learn more of His life and teachings, and be numbered among the Lord’s devoted disciples.
Bless all workers who have helped to prepare these beautiful buildings and grounds. Wilt Thou protect these facilities from natural disasters and any human acts of evil intent.
Wilt Thou bless the temple presidency and matrons who will render consecrated service. Protect them and their families as they fulfill their callings. Bless all who serve here, that their efforts may be extended with love and kindness as they assist patrons who come to receive exalting ordinances for themselves and for their ancestors. Bless all those who come here seeking to know Thy will in their lives, that they may receive needed inspiration and revelation.
Beloved Father, we honor Thy holy name and that of Thy Son. We pray that Thy great plan of salvation will continue to roll forward throughout the earth in accordance with Thy desire to bless Thy children everywhere. On this sacred day, we express unto Thee our love and gratitude for the privilege of dedicating this, the Rome Italy Temple, and do so in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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